In the process of completing this application the PIs have had the opportunity to investigate and speak to a number of investigators on the MCG campus engaged in a wide range of health disparity and minority health research and related activities. Through this process it became evident that there is much more research and activity in this area then we first expected. However, what we also discovered is that there is no central location were those interested in minority health and/or health disparity research could come together to share research ideas and questions, find collaborators, present their findings and more importantly to connect with the populations this research was designed to help. The establishment of a Center of Excellence would be an initial step in the recognition of the importance of and centralization of health disparity research on the MCG campus.